Underage
Definition
Underage describes a person or activity involving someone below the legal age required for a particular activity, including sexual intercourse. It can also describe someone who is not yet a legal adult and is still a minor.
Quick Facts
| Term | Underage |
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What does underage mean?
Underage means below the legal age for a particular activity. In sexuality and relationship contexts, it can refer to someone below the legal age for engaging in sexual intercourse. The required age is usually 18 or 21, depending on the activity.
The word can also describe someone who is not yet a legal adult—in other words, a minor.
Examples of usage
The term appears in phrases such as “underage marriage” and “underage drinking.” A person below the required age may be described as an underage customer, as in: “The bar was fined for serving alcohol to an underage customer.”